So many models to mention - we still have more to add so keep coming back to see what's new. If you have history or information on a particular model drop me a line at chairman.hoc@ntlworld.com
I'm going to start in the 1950's - well into the Rootes era.... oh well I do have a 59 Series III. (As shown below)
Minx, Series I
In the mid-1950's Rootes decided to release a new version of the Minx to follow the popular and successful Mark Minx. It was to have the same 1390cc engine as the current Mark VIII, with minor improvements, but updated steering and suspension, and a completely restyled body, the object being to create more space for the passengers inside.
During development this new body style was known as 'Audax' - latin for 'bold' - and the new design, a radical departure from the Mark VIII, was certainly striking. The designer, Raymond Loewy, had previously worked not only for Rootes, but also for Studebaker, amongst others, having been responsible for the 1949 Starlight Coupe.
D.V.Williams, a Rootes staff member and Vice President of the The Hillman Owners Club remembers the first appearance of the new model like this:
'The Minx always had to have stylish, eye-catching features. This time it was the wrap-around glass of the backlight and the matching reverse slope of the rear side glass. Length was emphasised by hooded bezels on headlights and bumpers which kicked out at the body corners, in contrast to the rounded shapes of the previous Minx. The side body panels had a crease line with a distinctive curve at the front, and on the Saloon Deluxe (there was also a cheaper Special saloon) dual colour schemes were popular, the upper being usually pearl grey.'
Two-tone paint schemes, often associated with the Minx, were not new to Rootes. The Californian and the 'Gay-look' Mark VIII had them, although other manufacturers offered them only on top-of-the-range models, such as the Ford Zodiac and the Vauxhall Cresta.
In fact, the Minx was not the first of the Rootes cars to use the Audax design. That honour went to the more upmarket Sunbeam Rapier, first unveiled at the 1955 Motor Show.
The Series I Minx, as it was designated, was launched in May 1956, a little before the similarly-styled Singer Gazelle, announced in September '56.
The Series I Minx proved immediately popular with the motoring press and public alike. The Motor, in its issue of May 23rd 1956, describes it thus:
'British cars in the family saloon class have been criticised in some overseas markets for looking too sober and unexciting by comparison with their continental rivals. No such criticism can be levelled against the new Hillman Minx, for its low build and attractive lines make it one of the most alluring medium-sized saloons ever built in this country.'
As well as the De Luxe and Special saloons referred to above, a Convertible was produced, followed, in June 1957 by an Estate. Prices were as follows:
- De Luxe Saloon £773 17s (£515 + £258 17s purchase tax)
- Special Saloon £748 7s (£498 + £250 7s purchase tax)
- Convertible £848 17s (£565 + £283 17s purchase tax)
- Estate £938 17s (£625 + £313 17s purchase tax)
[Note: in decimal money 7s (shillings) = 35p; 17s = 85p]
The 'De Luxe' was the 'standard' version of the car, while the 'Special' was a low-cost version with simpler body and interior trim. The low price was set to attract the attention of fleet buyers.
For a more sporty version of the convertible, a twin-carburettor conversion by Alexander Engineering of Haddenham, Bucks was available. It used the same 1390cc engine, but, in addition to the two SU semi-downdraught carburettors’, performance was enhanced by raising the compression ratio to 8.6:1 (compared to 8:1 on the standard production model), by polishing the combustion spaces, and by enlarging and polishing the inlet ports. A Laycock-de Normanville electrically-operated overdrive was fitted to top and third gears.
Otherwise, the Alexander conversion was similar to the standard convertible. The battery had to be moved to the boot to make way for the carburettors, but this was felt to aid weight distribution. Externally, the very smart paintwork included a wide side-flash, not dissimilar to the Singer Gazelle or Sunbeam Rapier, and a small badge appeared on the wings immediately in front of the doors.
The review in Autocar (July 1957) was favourable:
"The results of the conversion on the car as a whole are impressive, and there are no really undesirable side-effects to mar the added performance.
The acceleration data are quite remarkable. Here are a few examples, with the times of the standard saloon given in parentheses: 0 - 60mph, 18.9sec (27.7); 0 - 70mph, 28.1sec (46.1); standing quarter mile, 21.6sec (23.5). All these figures were obtained without using the overdrive, as the extra ratios come into their own primarily when cruising on the open road."
The cost of the conversion was £172 13s, making the overall price £1071.
Minx, Series II
Hillman had been in existence for about 50 years at this time, and the first Hillman Minx had appeared 25 years before, in the 1931/32 season, so when Rootes introduced changes to the Series I in August 1957, cars in the new range were named the 'Jubilee' models.
Outwardly, the Series II could be distinguished by a new style of radiator grille, raised bonnet badge, and chrome surrounds on the front and rear windscreens. The bumpers were set a little further out from the body. Changes elsewhere were restricted to minor modifications to the engine and steering gear. Prices for the De Luxe and Convertible rose slightly (£21 and £50, respectively, including tax), but the Estate and the Special remained the same.
The reasons for persisting with the 'stripped-down' version of the Minx, the Special are adequately summed up by a review in The Motor, 30th October, 1957:
'In an era of inflation, the Hillman Minx Special has one very important feature - a price tag indicating that you cannot in Britain purchase any other car of equivalent engine size or power for less money. As a comfortable four-seater, capable of nearly 80 m.p.h. yet able to show 30 m.p.g. fuel economy even when driven quite briskly, its great appeal at a basic price of £498 is as exceptional value for money.'
An interesting new feature of the Series II Minx was the 'Manumatic' system semi-automatic transmission option. This was not the fully automatic system used on later Series Minxes, as the standard 4-speed gearbox was used, and the clutch operated by pressing on the end of the gear stick. The system was not exclusive to Rootes, and other manufacturers such as BMC also used it.
A variation on the Series II was made by the Japanese, under the Isuzu name.
Husky, Series I
Shortly afterwards came the unique and lovely Series I Husky - half-saloon, half-estate car, resembling the Series II Minx from the front, but with a glazed, van-like rear. The bumpers were different and the trim simpler, in the manner of the Minx special.
The Husky was able to carry four people, when required, but the rear seats folded forward and, with a side-hinged rear door, a large storage space was accessed - the forerunner of the ubiquitous modern hatchback, in fact!
The Mark version of the Husky, which had continued in production, had been popular, and the new Husky, too, received good reviews. The Motor of 26th February 1958 explained:
'Versatility is the especial merit of an estate car, and this latest Husky shows it in large measure. Either a comfortable four-seater or, when the occasion requires, a van to carry bulky loads, it will do local errands or make long journeys untiringly at quite rapid average speeds, and it has enough rear wheel adhesion to negotiate steep and slippery country tracks which would defeat a large proportion of modern saloons. So soon as its fuel consumption can be brought properly into line with that of the heavier Minx (which should involve only minor changes) we will expect this latest Husky to become even more popular than was the preceding model.'
Country Life, 3rd April 1958 said:
'The Hillman Husky has all the versatility one would expect from an estate car and its compact dimensions give it advantages over other examples of this type. Unlike some estate cars, the Husky was completely draught-free. A stranger to the car is unlikely to guess that it is the cheapest car in the Rootes Group range as the standard of finish is high.'
In fact, the price of the Husky at this time was only £698.17s - including tax - making it £50 cheaper than the Special and £240 cheaper then the larger Estate!
"Add 7 1/2% more engine size to an extremely popular model, raise the compression ratio slightly for a further increase in medium-speed torque, and then re-gear the final drive to reduce the engine revolutions per mile by 5%: that, in brief, is the Rootes recipe for a 1959-model Hillman Minx such as we have been able to savour on English and Welsh roads, and whilst the result is not meant to be sensational we found it very well to our taste.
So said The Motor, October 1st, 1958.
There were several changes to the Minx in 1959. Chiefly, it was given a new, larger engine - 1494cc - revised gear and axle ratios, new clutch and steering mechanisms and a revised exhaust system. Some alterations were made to the bodywork: a new, wider grille was fitted with the word HILLMAN on the surround above it, and the Hillman 'wings' motif on the front of the bonnet. Headlamp rims were chrome-plated.
The rear of the car also had a slightly different look. Although the shape of the boot and wings remained the same, the position of the boot handle and number plate light were lowered and the format of the number plate itself changed to a rectangle, like the front plate, rather than a square.
The division between the two colours in the two-tone versions was lowered from the line just under the side windows to the trim-line along the doors, and raised to the same level from the bottom edge of the boot lid to the handle.
Inside, the fascia was redesigned to include all the gauges and controls in one panel, including the radio (now standard on the convertible) and (optional) heater. Provision was made for an ammeter, oil-pressure gauge and clock, although these three were available as optional extras.
Despite these improvements, prices remained the same - indeed, the cost of the estate fell from £625 (£938.17s, including tax) to £598 (£898.7s, including tax) - the same as the convertible.
The cost of some of the optional extras, including tax (but not fitting), was as follows:
Heater, £16 10s
Electric Clock, £5 10s 3d
Screen wash, £1 17s 6d
Ammeter, 15s 6d
Oil Gauge, £2 15s
Overriders, £4 10s
Central gear change, £9
'Manumatic' transmission, £37 10s
Bucket seats, £15
Other items listed as extras at this time included: cold air ventilator, locking fuel cap, second sun visor, towing bar, exhaust tailpipe extension, wheel rim finishers, wheel discs, second horn, badge bar, starting handle, tool-kit, normal or long-range fog-lamp, whitewall tyres and accelerator pedal rubber.
This model was designated the Series III.
In 1959 further significant changes were made to the Minx. It was numbered not Series IV, but Series IIIA.
Again, there was a change to the grille, which was now wider and more elaborate, incorporating rectangular rather than round side lamps, and the Hillman wings. The HILLMAN letters appeared on the front of the bonnet. The headlamp rims were not chromed, but painted body colour.
The windscreen was much larger than previous models (21% larger, in fact), a double chromed strip ran along each side of the car, and the division of the colours in two-tone models reverted to the system used in the Series I and II - bonnet and sides in one colour, roof and boot-lid in the other.
At the rear of the car, large, curved wings were added to all models, except the estate, together with large, elliptical tail lamps.
The floor-mounted gear lever became the standard and the column change an option, and automatic transmission, available on saloons, convertibles and estates, now used Smith's fully automatic Easidrive in place of the semi-automatic 'Manumatic' system which had been used before. This new system employed a flywheel/clutch operated by a magnetised powder, and the Minx became the first automatic in its class.
Again, despite the many improvements, the price of the Minx De Luxe saloon was reduced to £764 14s 2d, including tax; the Special was £722 4s 2d; the convertible £872 7s 6d, and the estate £858 4s 2d. The Series IIIA was available in 6 single colour finishes and 6 two-tone, but the two-tone was £14 3s 4d extra, and the 'Easidrive' automatic transmission option another £124 13s 4d.
A variation on the Series II was being made by the Japanese at this time, incorporating some features of the IIIA, under the Isuzu name.
"All in all," concluded The Motor, "the 1960 Minx is the anticipated development of its predecessors in a long line of sensible family saloons. Family motoring on the 1 1/2-litre scale today implies performance which would have been considered sporting not very long ago; the latest in transmission design makes it possible to combine semi-sporting performance with very sophisticated effortless driving."
Few changes were made in 1960, when the Minx was designated the Series IIIB. The front grille was in the same style as the IIIA, but made not from chrome, but anodised aluminium, which had the advantage of not being subject to rust.
At the rear of the car, a hypoid axle replaced the spiral bevel type previously used. Easidrive continued to be an option.
The Special was now renamed the Saloon Standard, and this was to be the last year of its production.
1961 saw the launch of the new Hillman Super Minx, which meant changes for the Series Minx. The new model, the Series IIIC, was essentially the same on the outside, but somewhat plainer in trim and appearance, more reminiscent of the 'Special' (later, 'Standard') - now discontinued - than the 'De Luxe'. It was distinguished from the IIIA and IIIB by a round profile Special/Husky style front bumper and the letters '1600' on the front doors in place of the 'Minx' script, which was moved to the rear of the boot.
The '1600' indicated that the Series Minx now had the 1592cc Super Minx engine, although not as highly tuned. It was priced at £80 less than the Super Minx, with the emphasis on no-nonsense, value-for-money. In fact, there was quite a substantial reduction in the price of the saloon, even allowing for the fact that purchase tax in Britain had gone up. The saloon was down to £727 9s 6d, with tax (down from £764 14s 2d); the convertible £890 16s 5d; and the estate £873 6s 5d. The two-tone paint scheme now cost £14 3s 4d - because of the tax increase, and the Easidrive option £124 13s 4d - also increased because of tax.
However, as The Motor, June 6th 1962, noted:
"Almost everything else which can be bought new at the same price of just over £700 is either slower or less roomy, if not inferior on both these counts. . . Although it is offered at a popular price, the model under review is quite nicely finished, and furnished in a far from austere fashion."
The external chrome trim was simplified, and there were now no carpets in the rear of the car. A slight fascia redesign saw the speedometer move to the right hand side, nearest to the driver. A mileage trip recorder was added.
"On the score of performance," said The Motor, 6th June, 1962, "there is remarkably little to choose between the Minx and the Super Minx, but there was a feeling amongst reviewers at the time that the Series Minx was becoming rather old-fashioned. "Its performance is up to date," said The Motor, "though its riding and handling qualities are not so modern."
Nevertheless, the Series Minx continued to sell, and a final comment from the review in The Motor perhaps anticipates the feeling of many people today (1996):
"If this car's design is not completely modern in every respect, the availability of a starting handle as an optional extra for only 7s 6d will make some motorists look at it in terms of 'the good old days'."
Quite a few changes were made to the Husky for the second series in 1960. The output of the engine had been increased in November the previous year by the addition of inlet and exhaust manifolds from the Series IIIA Minx, and a new Zenith 30 VIG carburettor, but for 1960 major changes were made to the body, engine and gearbox. The front window was greatly increased in size, as it had been on the Series IIIA Minx, as was the window at the back, and the roof-line was lowered by 1 1/4 inches.
Inside, the bucket front seats were set slightly further back to improve leg-room, and greater comfort was provided for passengers in the back. As before, the rear seats tipped forward to increase the luggage space to the proportions of a small van.
Autocar magazine were surprised at the increased performance over the Series I: "It seems remarkable that such improvements as a reduction of 11.4 seconds in the time for acceleration from rest to 60 m.p.h. and an increase in 5 m.p.h. in maximum speed, should have been obtained while using the same basic power unit."
